At a time when extreme politicians are calling for ending Social Security and Medicare as we know them, Tim is working tirelessly to protect these critical programs for generations to come.
Today, over 1.6 million Virginians receive Social Security benefits, and another 1.6 million receive health care through Medicare. Tim strongly opposes Medicare cuts, and he supports raising the Social Security income payroll tax cap and has stood firm against efforts to privatize the program. As a deciding vote for the American Rescue Plan, Tim helped protect the pensions of millions of workers so that we keep the promise made to millions of workers and they receive the full benefits they earned.
Tim is leading the charge to implement a “Medicare-X” plan, which would give all Virginians access to a public option plan that could drive more competition and lower costs in health insurance. Kaine’s proposal would establish a Medicare exchange public option in every county in America, providing an additional, affordable option in all communities. Additionally, he was a deciding vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included key provisions to strengthen Medicare. He is also a cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal harmful provisions in federal law that significantly reduced benefits for nearly 3 million Americans.
Tim is also working to improve prevention, treatment, and care for Alzheimer’s, which impacts thousands of families in Virginia. Thanks to his efforts, funding for crucial Alzheimer’s programs has more than tripled since 2020. He has a bipartisan bill to reauthorize critical programs that support Alzheimer’s research and caregivers across the country.